sword_of_the_stars_the_pitfandomcom-20200214-history
Psionics
This article covers expansion-only (Mindgames) content. General information Psionics are abilities introduced in the Mindgames Expansion that are comparable to spells found in traditional RPGs. They add a wide variety of useful powers vital to surviving in The Pit. Each Class is typically encouraged towards certain "schools" of psionics due to a higher starting score in certain skills or differences in Psi point pool or regen, e.g. Telekinesis for the Engineer, Manifestion for the Psion, Resistance for the Ranger and so on. New abilities are unlocked as you invest into each of the 7 psionic skills. Casting a psionic costs Psi points, along with 1 to 2 food, and will end your turn. After being used, it will take a certain number of turns before it can be used again. This waiting period is known as "Recharge (Rc)". Most Psionics improve in duration as their governing skill increases. The exact duration in turns / moments of most psionics can be viewed in the SotSDex log. Targeted psionics can only be cast within your line of sight '''but not on an '''Invisible creature or furniture, with some exceptions (e.g. disguised Adaptoids). *The amount of Psi Points at your disposal is equal to your Brains + Power * 2. It can be increased or decreased by serum Bio mods. The Psion also gains 5 per level. *Power has no direct effect on the strength of psionics, but more psi points does allow for certain potent combos and more frequent use of low-cost psionics. Whether a creature resists certain offensive psionics or not is checked through your psi skills, although it may be somewhat influenced by power as well. *'Cyborg' creatures can be targeted by Psionics which affect Mecha and Organic, but the resulting effect tends to be about half as effective. *Being afflicted by the Pain status effect strips you of any Psionic protection or "buff" you currently have, and prevents you from using any psionics. *'Stim Towers' and Master Minds grant immunity against Status Effects to all creatures within the room. Thus, a Fear would do nothing while a Shrapnel Storm would cause damage, but never Paralyze. Indoctrinators on the other hand cause you to be much more vulnerable to offensive enemy psionics. *The terms "entry level" or "entry point" simply refers to the number you need to reach to unlock a psi skill's first ability, e.g. "Empathy and Resistance have an entry point of 15". Empathy This psionic school focuses on support abilities. The low entry skill of 15 makes it a good all-around choice, but it is best paired with another school, especially after acquiring Psi Drain. It has everything a Scout needs Telekinesis This skill offers a solid mix of physical offense, defense and utility abilities. It is vital to playing an effective Psion and helpful for the Marine & Engineer Manipulation '''offers a much safer way to open containers, disarm traps and repair devices. '''TK Fist '''and '''Deflect help you preserve quite a bit of ammo & durability over the course of the game. War Mind The War Mind discipline concentrates on turning the strength of Organic creatures against them, wheter you turn a battle into a free-for-all with Berserker or use Life Drain on a creature with high health. While the skill has a high entry point of 30, it complements the Marine & Ranger's favored playstyle fairly well. Redaction A passive survival skill that benefits well from every point invested past entry level. It is most suited to the Psion and Scout, thanks to their high amount of skill points. You can get Heal and then let it improve through use as you build up a more offensive psionic skill. You can also invest all the way into it if you foresee a lot of resting and hunger issues. Due to their delayed benefits and cost, the last 2 abilities are best used outside of combat and/or with effects that improve psi point restoration. Manifestation Typically a Psion -exclusive school due to the harsh entry skill of 50. Manifestation focuses on enhancing your ability to survive in The Pit ''by lowering the need to raise certain skills or find new supplies. It does feature an offensive AoE ability in the form of '''Fire'. Mecha Empathy The only Psionic skill which offers effective ways to take out with Mecha creatures. The spells are accessible to most classes, but fairly expensive to cast beyond Mechasense. To use Mecha-Empathy to it's full potential, you'll want a skill & max psi point income that only the Engineer and Psion can really afford, thanks to their high Brains / Power playstyle. Resistance A versatile defensive skill accessible to all classes. Psi Shield is your best defense against Fear. You can invest in it solely for Psi Armor, which is particularly effective for the Marine & Ranger. Invisibility '''and '''Reflect are more situational, but have some interesting combo potential with certain other psionics.